Through two games this season, Miami Dolphins fans are realizing their worst fears were true as it relates to the team's secondary and offensive line, but no one was prepared for what is going on with the team's best defensive unit.
Miami's defensive tackles are struggling, and there is no way to sugarcoat it. The inexperience and rotation choices are not giving Zach Sieler the help the team needs.
If the Dolphins have any shot at turning around a season that many already believe is over, they need the defensive front to get it together.
Dolphins' defensive line is the biggest disappointment of this early season
On Sunday, the New England Patriots' offense attacked Miami's front line. Rhamondre Stevenson rushed for just 54 yards, but as a team, the Patriots ran for 122 combined. All three sacks of Drake Maye came from the Dolphins' edge-rushers, and not one pressure was recorded for a defensive tackle.
Despite the early commitment to running the ball by New England, Miami's defensive tackles were not racking up stops. Rookie Kenneth Grant had two total tackles, as did Sieler. Matthew Butler had three total, but it was fifth-round pick Jordan Phillips who led the entire unit with four.
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All of this is made worse by the fact that the Dolphins believed their front seven would be good enough to take pressure off the cornerbacks. That isn't happening, and as a result, Miami's secondary is getting burned consistently. Maye only had to throw 23 times, but he completed 19 of them for 230 yards. He threw one touchdown and ran another in.
The Dolphins won't have time to make many changes, as they will travel to Buffalo this week to play the Bills on Thursday night. Buffalo and Josh Allen had no problems handling the New York Jets in Week 2, winning 30-10. If Miami can't figure out its defense, this week's score could be much worse.